1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a system and method for recovering ice-clad machinery and equipment, in general, and to a system and associated method for recovering machinery and equipment frozen by the extinguishment of fires in very cold climates, in particular.
2. Description of the Related Art
As will be understood, insurance costs associated with water damage to machinery and equipment in extinguishing fires at commercial and industrial sites in very cold climates are frequently many times that faced in milder climates. Where a fire occurs at sub-zero temperatures, for example, the water used to extinguish the fire could freeze the machinery and equipment with ice from several inches thick to several feet thick. One proposal of recovering and reclaiming the machinery and equipment by heating and melting the ice is frowned upon because the ice would contain all kinds of hydrocarbons which, upon release, would cause environmental problems of their own. The accepted ways of proceeding then are: a) the very labor-intensive chipping away of the ice at these sub-zero temperatures; or b) waiting until springtime for the ice to begin to melt and then chipping it away. Only when the ice is gone, can control boxes and valves be opened, inspections made, and machinery tested to determine the extent of any damage done. With either alternative, the business interruption insurance costs are quite high.
As will be appreciated, this can be a very serious problem in the various oil fields of Canada and other Northern countries. Besides the enormous cost to the insurance company, even with business interruption insurance, the cost to an oil company's business could be immeasurably high.